§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the average length of time taken from push back to becoming airborne at Gatwick and Heathrow airports in 1986 and 1996. [4469]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonNational Air Traffic Services report that, based on 214,309 departures during 1996, the average length of time taken at Heathrow from push back to becoming airborne was 16.9 minutes. At Gatwick, based on a sample of 3,717 departures between April and September 1996, the average length of time taken was 15.0 minutes. The information requested in respect of 1986 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact on airlines of congestion at Heathrow and Gatwick airports. [4468]
§ Ms JacksonI have made no assessment. However, the impact of congestion on airlines operating at Heathrow and Gatwick is limited, as the total number of slots allocated is tightly controlled by National Air Traffic Services through the capacity determination process. The airlines are consulted on the necessary trade-off between any change in the total number of slots to be allocated and the consequences for the average delay the airlines can expect to experience.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many applications for slots at Gatwick and Heathrow airports could not be accommodated in 1996. [4472]
§ Ms JacksonAirport Co-ordination Limited is responsible for the allocation of slots at UK airports co-ordinated under EC Regulation 95/93. ACL inform me that at the two allocation rounds during 1996, covering the Winter 1996–97 and Summer 1997 seasons, the total of slot requests which could not be accommodated was 73,805 at Heathrow, and 46,547 at Gatwick.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the average length of airborne holding prior to touch down was at Heathrow and Gatwick airports in 1986 and 1996. [4470]
§ Ms JacksonIn 1996 the average airborne holding times for Heathrow and Gatwick airports were 3 minutes 9 seconds and 55 seconds respectively. Data for 1986 can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the average number of passengers per air transport movement at Heathrow and Gatwick in(a) 1986, (b) 1991 and (c) 1996; and what projections he has made for (i) 2001 and (ii) 2006. [4398]
329W
§ Ms JacksonThe information for past years is as follows:
Average number of passengers per air transport movement, 1986, 1991 and 1996 1986 1991 1996 Heathrow 107 111 130 Gatwick 103 115 114 My Department does not produce forecasts of average passenger numbers per aircraft for future years.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the average number of passengers per air transport movement at(a) Stansted, (b) Aberdeen, (c) Edinburgh, (d) Glasgow and (e) Southampton in (i) 1986, (ii) 1991 and (iii) 1996; and what projections he has made for (i) 2001 and (ii) 2006. [4399]
§ Ms JacksonThe information for past years is as follows:
Average number of passengers per air transport movement, 1986, 1991 and 1996 1986 1991 1996 Stansted 33 47 67 Aberdeen 22 23 29 Edinburgh 45 47 55 Glasgow 55 58 72 Southampton 21 22 23 My Department does not produce forecasts of average passenger numbers per aircraft.